Vehicle-wheel.



T. C. SHEPHERD Jn.

. VEHICLE WHEEL.

ICATlONHLED EP A 1914. Llfi fl Pateted Dec. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA T. c. VSHEPHERD, JR.

VEHlCLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 5. |9l4` Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

T. C. SHEPHERD, Jn.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APFLICATION nusu SEPT.5. 94.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 coLuMnA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, u. c.

THOMASCLIFTON SHEPHERD, JRL, or J'L'IET, ILLINoI's.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters aten'ti Digg.

Application filed September 5,:1914. serial No. 860,410.

NVill and State of Illinois, havevinvented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Vehicle wheels; and it has for its primary Object the provision of a Wheel of this character which mayvbe used'upon Vehicles as a substitute for the well known form of pneumatic Wheel or wheels employing a cushioning infiatable tire, one which will possess amaximum degree of elasticity, one which will be punctureproof, cheap, strong and durable, .and one wherein the cost of up keep ormaintenance ofthe wheel will be considerably reduced.

Another Object of the inventon is the provision of a wheel of this character which will includean inner cushioningchamber and outer independent tread, sections having portions operating in the chamber and adapted to be cushioned as the treadsections are moved radially with respect to the axis of the wheel under the application of shocks or load thereto.

A further Object of the invention is the provision of a Wheel of this character wherein the cushioning chamber is designed to contain a buoyant agent such as glycerin, oil, water or a like fluid and means located within the chamber to compensate :for the displacement of the fluid about the chamber under the application of pressure against the fiuid through working operations of .the tread Sections of the wheel.

A still further Object of the invention is the provision of a wheel of this character which will include a rim and tread sections that are constructed with regard to each other so as to prevent an undesirable accunulation of foreign matter or snow benea th the tread Sections and in the channel of the rim.

A still further Object of the invention is the provision of a Wheel wherein the parts thereof are separable from one another whereby any particular worn part may be renoved when desired and a new part substit-uted at a'minimum cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, con'bination and arrange- `edpassage .6 which 'receives a `ngly threaded portion 7 `of the member 5.

'described The base 12 of the .ment ofvparts as will be-hereinafter dc- .scribed and claimed.

"In the accompanying drawings :-Fig ure 1 'IS .a,sidevelevationalview of the wheelyFig.

2 is la longitudinal section therethrough; `Fig. '3:15 \a sectionon line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section `on an enlarged scale through a portion of a Wheel, showing the mannerof Connecting thepiston oylinder on thespoke guidi-ng cylinder with the fiuid chamber and with the rim; F ig. 5 is a perspective view of one `of the tread Sections; F ig. Gis an edge view..of the Wheel; Fig. 7 is .a section on line.7-7 of F igl; and big.

l 8 is a s`eotion. through a portion of the Wheel, showing a shghtly modified form thereof.

The wheel comprises an inner fluid chamberor cushioning chamber l, which is defined. by a member 2 having an` outer annulu-s 3,' a hub sleeve or 'box %and a member 5. 'The annulus 3is provided with a threadcorrespond- Themember is provided with anintegral nutor wrench engaging portion 8 whereby said menber' may be connected with or disconnected from the member 2, as the occasion may demand. In orderto prevent `the member from becoming accidentallv disconnected from the-member 2, I provide the annulus Bwith a plurality of adjustablo c'la nping devices9-that are adapted to be' ad usted over the member '5, as shown in Fig. 7

Uoncentric with the annulus 3 `and spaced therefrom is 'a channele'd rim 10 substantially of U-form in "transverse section and provided with a fixed side fiange 11, a base flange 12, and a removable side flange 13.

At this time it is said, however, that this particular construction of the rim is not essentialtoan operative collection or arrangement ofthe parts ofthe wheel'to be subse- *qu'ently referred to and I desire it to be known that any well known obvious form of rimj may-'be substituted in lieu of the one rm is provided with a plurality of thread'ed radial passages '14, which are 'alined with similar thread'ed radial passages 15 in the annulns 3. Hollow tubular spokes 16 have their outer ends extended through the passages 14, and as shown said spokes are threaded at said outer ends, as at 17, to receive conpanion clanping nuts 18 and 19 that are engaged respectively against the opposite surt'aces oi' the flange 12 of the rim. The inner ends of the spokes are threaded at 20 for connection 'in the outer and replaced by new parts at a small cost.

Arcuate tread sections 23 are pivoted at 24 in the side flanges 11 and 13 of the rim. These sections are equal in number with the spoles and as illustrated their pivotal points are disposed slightly to the sides of the spokes for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. Each tread section is preferably provided at one end with a reduced tongue or extension 25 which extends between spaced portions 26 of an adjacent tread section, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this manner a substantially uninterrupted surface is formed by all of the tread Sections.

*The outer surfaces of the tread section are provided with rubber facing blocks 27. In line with the spokes the tread Sections are provided with tongues 28. Bearing upon 'the under surface of each tread section as shown at 29 are piston rods 30. These rods are provided with stems 31, equipped with piston heads 32 that are'slidable in said casings. l'he stems 31 are threaded at 33 to receive clamping nuts 34, which are designed to hold the' heads in applied positions upon the rods 30. v

In order that the tread sections are rendered reely yieldable to shocls and jars that may be applied thereto, I supply the *chamber 1 of the wheel with a liquid 35 in the nature of glycerin, oil, water or the like. The cylinders 22 in which the pistons are designed to reciproeate open directly into the chamber 1, and, as aconsequence, said pistons will be adapted to work against the .liquid as the tread sections are moved radialiy under the application of load or shocks and jars to the wheel. To maximize the buoyant or elastic qualities of the fluid and to conpensate for the displacement of the fiuid as the tread Sections of the wheel are actuated and the pistons reciprocated, I pro- V which extends to the member 2 and which is provided with an inwardly Opening check -valve 38. The member 5 ofthe wheel is provided with a hlling- Opening 39 in which is removably connected a cap or plug 10.

Initially the wheel is laid upon one side with the side 5 arrang'ed uppermost. The cap 40 is removed from the lilling Opening 31 and fluid is then introduced to the chamber 1 and the air displaced from said chamber through'sa'id illing Opening and when the chamber is approximately filled the cap 39 is applied so as to prevent the escape of the iluid. After this operation, air is supplied to the eXpansible member 36 so as to eifect an initial displacement or equal distribution or the fiuid to all parts of thechamber. In this manner the respective pistons will be uniformly supported by the fiuid. In order to prevent accidental escape of the fiuid from the side of the chamber 1, I provide the cap or plug` 10 with a suitable elastic gasket 11 interposed between the member 4 and the plug. In addition thereto the member 5 is provided with a similar gasket 42, which is adapted to bear v against the annulus 3.

Vithin the inner ends of the cylinders 22 are fitted rings 43, as shown in Fig. 8. In the event that the fluid is lost from the chamber 1, elastic cylindrical bodies 4 1 may be inserted in the cylinders 32 and held therein by said rings 43. The pistons are then adapted to operate against said cushioning blocks in lieu of the iluid.

From the foregoiug description, taken in 'connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as claimed.

A Vehicle wheel comprising a Series tread Sections each pivoted to the rim of the wheel at one extremity and having its free extremity movably mounted in an adjacent section, air cushioned slidable spokes, each of said spokes contacting with the under surface of its associated tread section and underlying the free extremity of an adjacent tread section.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CLlFTON SHEPHERD, JR.

iVitnesses:

\VALTER W. XVOLLFEL, FRED E. XVHALLON.

v Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressng the Commssioner of Patents, i i 7 Waslington,D.C. 

